Vemury Structural Consultancy Ltd - Newcastle upon Tyne

Rob K.

I met Chandra at an IstructE event and discussed with him the possibility of removing a load bearing wall in my house. Chandra came out promply and understood the requirements needed. Calculations were provided for building control which were easy to follow and given a week after viewing the property. All in all he provided a very professional and reasonably priced service.

Christopher M.

I initially spoke with Chandra Vemury (the business owner) over email and telephone call, conversations started pleasantly and professionally.

Since there were no Google reviews of his business, I mentioned this to him and he recommended looking at Local Surveyors Direct. After searching that website, I did indeed find some feedback, however this was sparse (one 5 star review in 18 months).

Based on the same website that he originally pointed me to, I copy and paste a recommended question to him via email, which is:
"Before placing an order with a supplier you should ensure that they have suitable qualifications, accreditation, experience and insurance".

It is most certainly in my interests to protect my assets and without having any prior knowledge of his business and personal abilities, combined with finding very little reviews/feedback from any other website, I believed that requesting additional proof of his competencies was only proper.

Chandra took offence to this, with the following email reply:
"You have found my company’s website through Google search and you have also had the opportunity to check feedback provided by some of my clients. I am somewhat taken aback by the lack of trust at your end. I am withdrawing my services and would respectfully ask you to approach other structural design firms in our region".

Another red flag for me was the business accounts, which are accessible and in the public domain through the GOV UK website. The business was established over four years ago, yet in the year ending September 2020, the business turnover was £15,200, of which £10,000 was incoming through COVID-19 business support grants. The is remarkably low for a business, especially in times when the building trade is thriving and for someone with significant qualifications that I can view in their "email signature"…

A missed opportunity or a bullet dodged? Scammer or real deal?
I'll let you decide, but I certainly shall not be recommending him to anyone.

Personally, I am more than happy to find a competent professional who is happy to answer fair and honest questions without getting uptight. Who knows what the outcome would have been if the builders and/or Building Control challenged his recommendations and designs.